Is the BMW 1 Series or the Ford Focus cheaper to buy?

In current stock the Ford Focus starts lower: the BMW 1 Series is available from £8,294 (median £10,699) and the Ford Focus from £2,499 (median £9,054).

What are the monthly finance payments on the BMW 1 Series vs the Ford Focus?

Illustrative finance starts from £193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the BMW 1 Series and £60/mo (HP, 60 months, 16.9% APR) on the Ford Focus. These are examples from cars currently in stock, not offers of finance — the actual rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check.

Which is cheaper to tax, the BMW 1 Series or the Ford Focus?

The most common annual road tax (VED) across BMW 1 Series stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Ford Focus — so the BMW 1 Series is generally cheaper to tax.

Which is more reliable at MOT, the BMW 1 Series or the Ford Focus?

Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the BMW 1 Series averages a 85% first-time pass rate and the Ford Focus 84% — the BMW 1 Series edges it on this measure.

Side by side

BMW 1 Series vs Ford Focus

A side-by-side comparison of the used BMW 1 Series and Ford Focus — price, real monthly finance, running costs and MOT reliability, all from live UK stock.

Reviewed by the Motoring Today Editorial team · methodology in our editorial standards.

BMW 1 Series or Ford Focus — which should I buy?

The Ford Focus starts cheaper (BMW 1 Series from £8,294, Ford Focus from £2,499), with illustrative finance from £193/mo and £60/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 85% and 84% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.

1 Series from: £8,294
Focus from: £2,499
In stock: 9 vs 21

BMW 1 Series versus Ford Focus on price, running costs and MOT reliability, from live UK stock. The best value in each row is highlighted.
From live stock	BMW 1 Series 9 in stock · from £8,294	★ Best value overall Ford Focus 21 in stock · from £2,499
Cheapest in stock	£8,294	£2,499★ lowest
Median price	£10,699	£9,054★ lower
From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock	£193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR)	£60/mo (HP, 60 months, 16.9% APR)★ lower
Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock	£200/yr	£200/yr
Median mileage	65,753 mi	52,551 mi★ lower
Median year	2019★ newer	2018
Median CO₂	121 g/km	115 g/km★ cleaner
Typical power	134 bhp★ more	123 bhp
Most common fuel	Petrol	Petrol
Most common gearbox	Manual	Manual
MOT first-time passDVSA history	85%★ more reliable	84%
Great/good deals in stockMotoring Today price rating	1 / 9	5 / 21★ more
	View all 9 1 Series →	View all 21 Focus →

Motoring Today score

Our 0–100 vehicle-intelligence score: reliability is from real DVSA MOT pass rates, the rest from manufacturer specs (MPG/CO₂, insurance group, Euro NCAP, dimensions). Higher is better — the stronger side is highlighted.

Score	BMW 1 Series	Ford Focus
Overall	63/100	68/100
Reliability	62	58
Running costs	71	84
Safety	49	60
Family & practicality	76	78
Insurance	56	58

A guide, not a guarantee — based on the sample of stock and MOT/spec records we hold for each model.

Specs, side by side

Manufacturer specifications across the BMW 1 Series and Ford Focus trim range. The stronger figure is highlighted where there's a clear better/worse direction (dimensions are shown for reference only).

Spec	BMW 1 Series	Ford Focus
MPG (combined)	30–83 mpg	35–83 mpg
CO₂ emissions	89–226 g/km	0–189 g/km
Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50	Group 12–39	Group 6–43
Euro NCAP safety	60% pillar avg	73% pillar avg
0–60mph	4.6s	4.5s
Power	93–321 bhp	78–345 bhp
Seats	5	5
Doors	5	5
Length	4324 mm	4378 mm
Width	1984 mm	1991 mm
Height	1421 mm	1484 mm

How we compare. The “best value overall” column and the cells marked ★ are chosen from live market data, running costs, DVSA MOT history and manufacturer specs — the side that wins the most comparable rows leads. Deal ratings come from the Motoring Today price model. Our methodology →

About the finance figures

Monthly payments shown are illustrative examples drawn from real quotes on cars currently in stock — the exact rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check. They are not an offer of finance and are not a representative example of the total cost of credit.

Motoring Today is a trading style of Motor Genius Group Ltd (FRN 960504), an appointed representative of The Compliance Guys Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 941360).

Motoring Today is a credit broker, not a lender.

Frequently asked questions

Is the BMW 1 Series or the Ford Focus cheaper to buy?: In current stock the Ford Focus starts lower: the BMW 1 Series is available from £8,294 (median £10,699) and the Ford Focus from £2,499 (median £9,054).
What are the monthly finance payments on the BMW 1 Series vs the Ford Focus?: Illustrative finance starts from £193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the BMW 1 Series and £60/mo (HP, 60 months, 16.9% APR) on the Ford Focus. These are examples from cars currently in stock, not offers of finance — the actual rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check.
Which is cheaper to tax, the BMW 1 Series or the Ford Focus?: The most common annual road tax (VED) across BMW 1 Series stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Ford Focus — so the BMW 1 Series is generally cheaper to tax.
Which is more reliable at MOT, the BMW 1 Series or the Ford Focus?: Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the BMW 1 Series averages a 85% first-time pass rate and the Ford Focus 84% — the BMW 1 Series edges it on this measure.

Motoring Today score

Specs, side by side

Frequently asked questions

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